Jobs. Taxes. Access to women's health care. South Calgary residents share what matters this election

CBC

15-04-2025

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The top issue for voters in Seton isn't tariffs, at least not among the library patrons who stopped by to talk with CBC Calgary's The Homestretch recently.
Tariffs have dominated headlines this campaign. But jobs, taxes and the price of groceries dominated the sticky notes on the CBC's whiteboard at a pop-up engagement effort Thursday afternoon.
What issue matters the most to you this federal election, and why? Share your personal stories with us at [e-mail].
Homestretch host Jenny Howe broadcast live from the library in Seton all afternoon, and people stopped by to write about the issue that matters the most to them in the federal election, and how it will shape their vote.
Adrian Diaz is a student at the University of Calgary. After writing a few notes, he explained it this way. "The cost of living has gone up. The gas prices have just skyrocketed up. Honestly, I remember when it used to be 70 cents, it was crazy.… Now it's like $1.50. Utilities, groceries, all the simple stuff has gone up, for sure," he said.
"I have an idea of who I want to support, definitely. Because 10 years of the same thing, I think it's time to change."
The Seton library is in the YCMA recreation centre, which is south of the ring road and east of Deerfoot Trail on the southeast edge of Calgary. It's in the Calgary Shepard riding.
In the library, some people had already decided who they are voting for, others were still making up their minds and waiting for the leaders' debate. Many people wrote about wanting lower taxes and to find a way to reduce the price of houses.
One person wrote about wanting tax dollars to go to fighting homelessness and hunger here in Canada before funds are allocated to helping overseas.
But that's not what Lamar Hassan is hoping for. She is 15 and watching the election from the sidelines. She said what she wants is to see the parties focus more on foreign policy and how they can help other places such as Ukraine and Gaza.
"We're able to aid so we should be aiding more," she said. "I feel for people. Everyone deserves to have a good life, and as someone whose parents came here from a different country, they came here for me to have a better life and everyone deserve to have that chance."
Moana Rae Michelbrink Rhynold is now 18 and will be voting for the first time. She said the issues she's following the most are the cost of housing and access to reproductive health.
"I've been busy in my own world but I've heard snippets. The biggest thing is how the Conservative campaign has leaned a lot toward what's been happening in the States in terms of women's access to health care. That's the biggest thing that's scaring me."
On Friday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre touched on this on the campaign trail. He was asked about a local candidate's views and said that, if elected, a Conservative government would not restrict access to abortion.
Since CBC News was asking "what matters to you," children also stopped by to have their say. Many of them will vote at school in a parallel student election, even though it won't count for the general election.
Jasmine Jones, 8, wrote "focus on the environment" and stuck that to the whiteboard to share with her neighbours.